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The Earth may be much younger than previously thought – about 70million years younger – according to scientists at Cambridge University.

The Earth may be younger than first thought at a mere 4.467 billion years old

The solar system was formed 4.567billion years ago but the Earth reached its present size much later. It was thought to take about 30million years, making it 4.537billion years old.

But a Cambridge University study shows it probably took about 100million years – so it is really only 4.467billion years old.

Dr John Rudge, from Cambridge University, explained: ‘The collisions caused part of the planet to melt, and allow metal to segregate to the centre of the Earth to form the core,’

‘So [during this process], the planet differentiated into its molten metal core and outer-lying mantle.’

‘The Earth was about 100 million years in the making altogether,’ Dr. Rudge said. ‘We estimate that makes it about 4.467 billion years old – a mere youngster compared with the 4.537 billion-year-old planet we had previously imagined.’